ADI Branch Burglary
By Brian Rhodes, Published Apr 03, 2020, 08:50am EDTA security systems distributor branch is an odd target for burglary but that happened this week at ADI's Memphis location.
Vehicle Smash & Grab Theft
ADI responded to IPVM confirming its branch in Memphis, Tennessee was burglarized:
ADI experienced a random act of vandalism and theft when a vehicle drove through the front door of our Memphis branch location. There is currently an active investigation in progress and we cannot comment any further. Our main concern always remains on the safety of our employees and customers, and we are thankful no one was injured.
The thieves drove a vehicle through the front entrance of the branch in order to steal items on the showroom floor, as shown below:
Prior photos show the front entrance to this branch was like many retail stores, featuring a wide, double sliding glass storefront:
Minor-value Items Stolen
We spoke to store reps who told us the thieves stole DVRs, but another person said wire was taken.
In either case, the value of the materials is not high, and the damage to the building and to the smashed vehicle is likely greater.
However, the brazenness of the robbery shows that even scrap prices are sufficient enough to be a target for thieves. Especially given the weight of a 500' box of wire is ~10 pounds with packaging and insulation, and at current rates would pay about $3.50 - 4.00 in scrap metal value to a thief.
The resell price for stolen DVRs is hard to estimate, but we are skeptical they would yield close to legitimate retail prices.
We have requested the Memphis Police Report and will update here when received.
This ADI Would Benefit From CPTED
Ironically, the Memphis ADI branch could benefit from the services of its own security-industry customers.
A common design philosophy familiar to many in the physical security industry is 'Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design', typically called 'CPTED'.
This approach fundamentally calls for terrain features that improve the natural access control of buildings. Especially where the risk of vehicles smashing into entrances is high (like the Memphis ADI branch), embedded or bolted steel pipes into the ground, called bollards, are often recommended to harden areas against vehicle attacks.
Bollards in front of doors are commonly used to make a physical, vehicle smash resistant barrier but increase standoff distance to the actual pedestrian doors:
On the other hand, crashing through an ADI branch entrance is an atypical, if not unique, occurrence.
Criminal Activity Increase?
With Coronavirus, many believe crime will spike, especially given that many Police Departments themselves are facing substantial shortages of uniformed officers themselves infected with the virus, the vacuum is giving criminals an opportunity to strike.
As noted in our Police Dispatch Being Suspended In Many Areas Across The US This Week And Beyond Across The US discussion, many departments are not responding as normal to calls, as this example from Cincinnati:
Police will no longer respond to assault reports, unless a suspect is still present or the victim requires medical attention, breaking and entering reports unless a suspect is still present, menacing reports "unless suspects are expected or threatens to return or is part of the elements of domestic violence" or theft reports "where there is no possibility of immediate apprehension." [Emphasis Ours]
The result of Police stretched thin has caused several to think the demand for security will increase in the near term. One industry veteran opined:
Crime is definitely going to skyrocket, but will that translate into a boondoggle for security dealers? I certainly think so.
Vote/Poll
Comments (35)
I said more crime in the poll but that is if this crisis continues for any length of time. The longer this goes the more people getting sick could impact the distribution system in place. The longer this goes the more stir crazy people will get. With that said I see commercial crime rising but not necessarily residential as more people are home right now. From my daily walk around the neighborhood people seem to be more interactive with each other meaning people are most likely more vigilant.
They had a branch in California with a vehicle driving through a roll up door last year. My Fathers alarm company was broken into many years ago. It made the local newspaper.
Wholesale distribution break-ins have happened for years. Aside from the CPTED suggestions which would aid the vehicle initiated ones, many of these locations are located in low public traffic business parks. This emboldens criminals over retail type areas plus the ability to case a distributor showroom that usually has TVs, speakers and other easily fenced items makes these branches attractive.
I recall one distributor in Dallas years ago that was broken into 3 times over a 2 week window. The perps were even captured admiring the live CCTV display on the first break-in, yet kept coming back!
More crime because criminals are being released from jail to "lessen the spread of COVID-19." (WTH!)
Prior photos show the front entrance to this branch was like many retail stores, featuring a wide, double sliding glass storefront
This makes for a more inviting shopping experience for us end-users. :)
In all seriousness, I wonder if ADI using leased spaces makes it harder to implement protective measures like bollards.
What's the rough cost for bollards?
i hope the thief at least left his tax exempt#.
I wonder if they have the serial #s of the devices that were stolen? See if they come online in a few weeks?
For the Bollards, when you have that many stores, does it make sense to pay that for every store? Just take the loss and move on.
We have apartment communities that loose 20-30K a year in stolen ACs. But with 15+ communities, and 300 ACs per community, we can not justify the expense of alarming every unit.
I agree, if this pandemic causes a long term recession, there will definitely be more crime. Not sure if it's related, but my personal car had it's catalytic converter stolen in broad daylight three weeks ago behind our office. Got the morons on camera and lpn. LAPD got an easy one.
With all the contactless curb-side pickup services being offered by restaurants, maybe the thieves thought ADI had a drive-up window.
Wall Street Journal: New York City Sees More Burglaries of Businesses Under Coronavirus Emergency Measures
NYC business burglaries have gone up 75 percent since March 12...
The issue with putting up those barriers has to do with whoever owns the property. The Milford CT branch has 2 pylons upfront that the landlord had installed before ADI moved in, but the Rocky Hill CT location doesn't, and that was because their landlord didn't want them. It's a tough thing